Gundam Wing ZR Project: The One-Shots
by ZeonTwoSix
Summary: A compilation of back stories from the point of view of certain characters, three-to-four years after the events of Endless Waltz. Will contain additional material for the upcoming main EW-FT interquel.
1. ONE-SHOT 1 (Pt 1 of 2)

ONE-SHOT 1: On Family History, Pacifism, and a Maiden's Inner Inquiry (Part 1 of 2)

December 27, AC 199.

It was roughly three years since the invasion at Brussels. From that moment on, humanity has had its longest duration of peace ever since the end of the Eve Wars. Everyone was a lot more open about how the world should be.

It was also three years since I last met him. The man who, back when I met him nearly half a decade ago, threatened to kill me.

However, that is not of the moment right now. The holidays have ended days ago and I still need to do my duty as a member of the Earth Sphere United Nations. I'm just fortunate that right now people are busy with the preparations for AC 200.

As for me though, I still have to do some negotiations and lectures about my plans for terraforming Mars.

"Milady..."

I heard a knock on the door as I was still browsing through the letters, proposals, and dissertations regarding the Mars project. I promptly responded.

"What is it?"

In came a man dressed in black with dark pepper-gray hair, and with the stature of one in his late twenties. He is currently serving as my butler after I have persuaded Pagan, my former butler, to quietly retire for his own good, and to enjoy the rest of his life in peace.

It was a bit sad on my part since, even at his age he continued to serve my family with vigor. It was quite hard to take now that he's left my family's side, but it's still for the best.

"Milady, the car is now waiting. Anything else I need to bring along?"

"No need, Johann. I'll be only bringing some documents with me; i'll handle it."

"As you wish.."

He then escorted me to the car that was waiting outside. For a man who has only served me for about half a year, he's not actually that bad. It's just that I'm not that much used to people whom I have just met recently, for starters.

And yet, Johann would prove to my family that he's more than capable of filling Pagan's place. But that's justifiable. The only thing that worries me, though...

He doesn't speak much about his background. All I know about him is that he was a mere wanderer from the Eastern part of ESUN's Euro Zone, particularly of Russian Ancestry dating back from the old Anno Domini era.

"Is there something bothering you, milady?" he asked me while he was looking through the rear-view mirror. Surprisingly, for a man who claims to be of Russian ethnicity, he does not have a trace of accent.

"Nothing much. I'm just curious about something."

"Which is..."

"Your background, actually. The only thing you've told me is that your surname is Godunov. I've learned that the said name dates back from the 14th AD era, from the Tsarist Dynasties of the former Russian Empire. And that such royal bloodline ceased during the so-called Time of Troubles, and long before the Empire was dissolved at the turn of the century."

"Truth be told, milady, with millions of people living in both Earth and the colonies, it's apparently difficult to track whether or not a man who carries a royal name can lay claim to a presumably-extinct bloodline. Once people do, others will rise up to refute the same until such debate ends in a deadlock which would only spark the occasional bloodshed."

"Are you referring to the Romefeller bloodline, by any chance? Or is it just out of personal experience?"

"Funny you should mention that name, milady. While popular sources would indicate that the Romefellers, through the foundation that carries their name, were the ones responsible for bringing about conflicts that became an integral part of the late AC era, others would aver that not everyone in the family shared the supposed facade of war profiteers that the Foundation came to be."

"Are you suggesting that there was already a deeply-rooted schism within the Romefeller family?"

"Who knows? All I'm certain from the days I've studied is that the side of the family which was more prominent during the war did not consist of the members of the Main bloodline."

"Why is that?"

"Sources say that the Main house were completely wiped out in a way that no one would even notice. Others claimed that they withdrew from their days of prominence when cracks among their ranks have started to materialize, thus beginning the so-called "inverted exile."

For a butler of his age, Johann knows his history very well. Although there's some sketchiness as to his theories behind the Foundation. But apparently, I have no right to counter for two important reasons:

One, I have only crossed paths with the Foundation back when the former United Earth Sphere Alliance was still waging war against rebels from the Space Colonies. In particular, during the height of the threat imposed upon by unique mobile suits from the Colonies - the Gundams.

And Two, I have no right to speak ill of such bloodline, when my true bloodline is as decorated as theirs, and maybe even more muddied by blood.

Nonetheless, I put that query of mine away for now. I have to focus on the present as ESUN's current Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs...

-=-=-=INCOMING TRANSMISSION=-=-=-

Hello. I do apologize for the somewhat short length of the very first part of the side stories, but rest assured that I will fill up the second part as quickly as possible.

Also, do notice that I'll be creating each part of these one-shots from various points of view, and with strong connections to the upcoming GW fanfic to be published after Christmas 2014. For this one though, just hazard a guess...

P.S. Do watch for new characters that I'll be introducing, apart from the existing cast. Chances are they will have a substantial influence to the plot of the aforementioned upcoming Fanfic.

Until then...

-=-=-=END TRANSMISSION=-=-=-


	2. ONE-SHOT 1 (Pt 2 of 2)

**ONE-SHOT 1: On Family History, Pacifism, and a Maiden's Inner Inquiry (Part 2 of 2)**

x-x-x-x-x

"Are you completely sure about this?"

The question came from a sharply-dressed woman in black, which contrasted her long, bright yellow hair. Even though we were of the same age, she already gained a foothold in the ESUN's Central Assembly as one of its members. Can't blame the Assembly's bureaucracy though, since most of them were also prominent figures during the past war.

For now though, a lot of them have mellowed down and had chosen the path of pursuing a state of peace through positive progress, including the person I'm conversing with. Which is a much-welcomed development in the Mars Terraformation Project that began about two years ago.

Unfortunately, with every ambitious undertaking by the government comes a handful of issues that need to be taken into consideration. As of the current state of things, the colony groups occupying Lagrange Points 2, 3, and 4, have expressed their support towards this project. The problem lied, ironically with the colonies at L1 and L5 - the ones closest to Earth.

In response, I made contact with representatives of the aforementioned colony groups to ascertain the opinions of their constituents regarding the Terraforming. Sadly the feedback was a bit... erratic, to say the least.

"I know for a fact that we are not necessarily bound by a definite deadline to fully-realize the terraformation project," I explained. "But a concrete action needs to be done if we are to be able to present this as a testament of humanity's progress."

"That is why, for the time being, we had to make some necessary delays, not just to educate the colonists about the benefits of this project, but also to gather more information regarding humanity's consensus to the proposal," my guest replied. "Like you, the Assembly wanted this project badly, but they're rather cautious in making abrupt decisions so as to not cause more conflicts."

I breathed a sigh in response. To be honest, she did have a point; proposing something to the Assembly is one thing; convincing them as to the same is a whole different ball game. One in which I, as a public figure who was trained for diplomacy instead of politics, have little to zero experience in.

And that is notwithstanding my brief stint as a global 'figurehead'.

"You will just have to convince the other politicians as to the current situation at hand, then," I advised her. "Unless and until we can get a concrete consensus from the public, more so the colonists, we need to tread very lightly with the project."

"What about the reports from R&amp;D?" she mentioned.

"Since I have yet to receive some of the major proposals, I will have to screen properly those already submitted before I send them to the bigwigs for deliberation. As of now, I've approved about 5 out of the 20 presented."

"That's quite a high rejection rate..."

I let of a light chuckle. "Well, most of the proposals were comically absurd, while some decent ones presented little to no long-term result. I was also waiting for the proposal from the 'lab coats' at the Preventer Corps; Director Une has yet to update me on that..."

Just then, my desk phone rang, prompting me to excuse myself and pick it up. "Hello?"

"Milady, your two-o'clock appointment has arrived. Shall I escort her to you?" said Johann, who I instructed to remain on standby at the lobby.

"Please do..."

As I hung up the phone, my guest turned to me, "Is that 'her', by chance?" I nodded in response.

"It's rather surprising how you, of all people, would guide the person who tried to use you as a bargaining chip before."

"She's still young; she will need all the guidance she can get, more so now that she doesn't have an immediate family to rely on."

"Well, whatever you say. I'll take my leave for today and meet up with the assembly regarding our discussion. I'll call you if there are any developments."

I gave my thanks to her as she took her coat from the hanger and approached the door. The same opened to reveal Johann and a young girl with bright reddish-orange hair that went past her nape. She was about twelve to thirteen years of age when I first met her as my supposed 'captor' during one of my trips to the L3 colony cluster.

And right now, I'm obliged to look after part of her education in the field of pacifism and diplomacy. Fortunately, she is all the more cooperative in my teaching methods, resulting in a proper teacher-student relationship of sorts.

"Good afternoon, teacher," she said with a light smile on her face. "I hope I'm not disturbing you or anything..."

"It's alright," I replied. "I was just expecting you, too. I hope you brought some writing materials for today's lesson..."

X-X-X-X-X-X

It was already 7 O'clock in the evening when Johann and I arrived home. I made my brief evening pleasantries with my mother before heading to my room to prepare for dinner. About ten hours of work and tutoring sessions every weekday is rather taxing on my health, but none I couldn't manage, I suppose.

Whenever I open the door to my room, the first thing I see would be my small drawer placed in between the terrace doors. Sitting on top of it would be a small teddy bear - the same one I received for my seventeenth, back when the world was still enjoying its share of peace after the war ended in Christmas Eve of AC 195.

It always makes me feel relieved to see it there, as if the fatigue all over my body would slowly fade away.

"Milady, if I may ask," Johann asked me as he placed my briefcase full of paperworks beside the drawer. "Who gave you the stuffed toy?"

I turned to him and said, "A person very close to me... But one who I have yet to meet again..."

"He must have been quite an influence to your life, for you too keep it so close, milady..."

I nodded as I made my way out of my room for dinner.

A few hours have passed and I got back towards my routine of reading through the proposals. Whenever I felt sleepy already, I just lay the paperworks at the table, changed into my pajamas and call it a night.

For some reason though, I found myself taking the teddy bear with me to bed. I never did so for the past half-decade that it has been in my possession. And to be honest, I never bothered asking myself why...

For I know, I will cross paths again with him when the right circumstances fall into place. Fr now though, I clench my teddy bear tightly while looking at the bright half-moon illuminating the night sky...

"I do hope to meet you again soon. For now, stay safe tonight... Wherever you may be, my knight in an angelic Gundam..."

X-X-X-X-X-X

This marks the end of the _First_ of the five One-Shots. Second one-shot will come between August 29 and September 20. As for this one, feel free to inform me of any irregularities of sorts. Until then...


End file.
